Students of Mystery and the Crunchy Eyebrow Syndrome

March 29, 2015

Have you heard about “Students of Mystery and the Crunchy Eyebrow Syndrome”? It is not the title of a movie trailer or a new bestseller….but…. it is contagious and the results are exciting! During my school visits in recent weeks I have had the opportunity to observe and participate in several Collaborative Inquiries with staff. As school staff work together on Collaborative Inquiry for Learning, “marker students” or students who mysteriously do not seem to be achieving to their potential are monitored as part of the inquiry process. These students of mystery cause us to crunch our eyebrows and wonder…”Why are they not achieving at the level they seem capable of?” “How can I help them?” “What is the barrier to their learning?” “How can I create a breakthough?” “What instructional and assessment strategies can I use that will make a difference?”

Knowing our students is essential. Learning For All, 2011 is full of ideas about how to get to know our students through the creation of class and student profiles. In addition there are great ideas about how to differentiate instruction in response to student strengths and needs. How to differentiate content, process, product, and environment is explored so that educators can ensure all students will be successful learners. Our knowledgeable Program Department staff also provide support to assist staff in expanding and strengthening their repertoire of instructional strategies through a team approach that is responsive to individual students’ learning needs. The evidence is showing that the journey of co-learning is positively impacting student achievement!

Palm Sunday marked the beginning of Holy Week. In spite of our busyness, let’s endeavour to keep this week holy…through prayer, in how we see and experience the world around us and how we plan and spend our time. Together, let’s live these days as a time to grow in faith, and hope and love…